


The Nutcracker and the Raven

by Emfisis



Category: Barbie in The Nutcracker (2001), Princess Tutu
Genre: Action, Adventure, Angst, Enjoy some Mythos and Ahiru cuteness, F/M, Fluff, Just in time for the Holidays!, Romance, Slow Burn, and dramaaa, bc barbie movies are the GOAT, its a long haul but it'll be fine dw
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-16
Updated: 2019-01-31
Packaged: 2019-09-20 01:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17013243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emfisis/pseuds/Emfisis
Summary: After receiving a beautiful Nutcracker from her Uncle Drosselmeyer on Christmas Eve, Ahiru is tossed into a story she never could have imagined. Curses, magical jewelry, and an impossible mission all leave Ahiru feeling like the world is against her. With the help and friendship of her Nutcracker, a rebel leader, and a lost princess, Ahiru must conquer the impossible if she ever wants to return to her normal life again.





	1. The Nutcracker (Prologue)

**Author's Note:**

> Although I ADORE the original Barbie Movie, this is an overall 'Nutcracker' AU which also includes the ballet. This will not be a verbatim retelling of the movie with the characters' names switched out for PT characters.

Ahiru pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders. The estate had been in erruptious activity all day in preparation for her uncle’s grandiose annual Christmas party.

She’d tried to roll up her sleeves and help the maids with the setting up, but after dropping the third wine glass, she was kindly dismissed. Word of her clumsiness was not uncommon among the staff. They knew she meant well, but to keep any more glassware from shattering they preferred to fulfill their duties without her ‘help’. So as to stay out of anyone’s way, Ahiru recused herself to the drawing room onto the sofa by the window away from all the hustle and bustle and was eerily disturbed by how quiet it was. 

She watched mindlessly as white tufts of snow cascaded to the ground two stories below. Outside, the long driveway stretched far off into the storm, concealing any carriages that might come approaching. Even the gatekeeper station was lost in the downpour. The lampposts around the curved driveway offered little comfort as their flames flickered wildly within their glass casing.

Ahiru’s hot breath left foggy splotches on the glass as her fingers traced various patterns into the temporary canvas. She leaned her head against the freezing surface, letting the cold outside seep into her skin. Her mind was overcome with a feeling of emptiness. It didn’t seem like anyone needed her help. 

Slowly, Ahiru managed to drag herself away from the couch and padded into the corridor. She wandered through the hallways deep in thought about nothing of importance. She tried to remember what she had for breakfast but the memories refused to come to her. The emptiness weighed down heavily in her core.

After a while, Ahiru managed to walk through nearly all of the main house. Now, the large engraved wooden doors to her uncle’s private study loomed over her. She raised a small fist but couldn’t bring herself to knock. Her hand hung in the air for what felt like an eternity. As Ahiru turned to leave, the door creaked open, bathing her in a warm orange light.

“Little duck, what are you doing stalking outside my door?” the white-haired man asked while fastening his cufflinks. “If you’re going to noisily pace outside my study, at least have the decency to knock! You’re not a stray kitten, are you?”

Ahiru turned towards him but kept her eyes low. She didn’t feel up to dealing with her uncle’s relentless teasing that night. 

“I’m sorry, Uncle Drosselmeyer.” Her voice was barely above a mumble, “I didn’t mean to bother you. I’ll leave you to your work.”

Drosselmeyer scoffed, knowing something was off. He stepped aside and motioned with a tilt of his head for her to come inside. Ahiru gave him a skeptical look, sighed, and dragged herself into the study.

The walls were all lined with shelves upon shelves of tomes. Books of all shapes and sizes littered the bookshelves, tables, and even scattered across the floor. Her uncle led Ahiru around his many stacks of books to his seating area. 

A large fire crackled in the fireplace between a large sofa and two lavish Queen Anne style chairs. As Ahiru plopped onto the couch, Drosselmeyer placed a teacup in front of her on the coffee table. When she brought the ornamented cup to her lips, Ahiru was relieved to discover the dark drink to be hot chocolate. She couldn’t help the gleeful smile on her face. Nothing could cheer her up faster than a cup of cocoa therapy. Her uncle knew her well.

Drosselmeyer poured himself a cup of tea and sat in his maroon upholstered chair and crossed his legs. “Now, what has brought my niece all the way to my office this evening? Shouldn’t a young lady such as yourself be getting ready for the party?”

Ahiru crossed her legs and stared into the fire, mesmerized as the flames twiddled around each other. She enjoyed the warmth on her face and in her hands. 

“Nothing’s the matter, Uncle. Really! I was just distracted and decided to take a walk. It’s snowing really hard, isn’t it?”

Drosselmeyer looked to the window nodded in agreement, “Yes, it is. I hope my guests’ journeys won’t be hindered by it. Word has it that it’s not going to let up any time soon. I should suspect it might even get worse! Isn’t that exciting?” 

Ahiru didn’t approve how giddy her uncle seemed at the mention of potential danger, no matter how ‘exciting’.

“Uncle Drosselmeyer, at least try to act as though you care about your guests’ wellbeing.” Ahiru reminded him from behind her teacup.

The man coughed, “Yes, of course! If word got out that someone was in danger under my watch, can you imagine the shame? Why I’d have to stop hosting the Christmas parties!” His eyes glinted in the firelight as a dangerous idea popped in his head.

“...and that’s something you would discourage, right?” an eyebrow curved as the old man began to stroke his chin thoughtfully.

“...yes, of course,” Drosselmeyer agreed unconvincingly, straightened himself, and glanced away, “but I didn’t drag you in here to talk about me! What about you? I want to know what’s troubling you. I hope it’s tragic!”

Ahiru put her empty teacup on the table and hugged her knees to her chest. She stared at her toes peeking out from the hem of her dress. She was tentative to speak.

“Have you ever felt...unimportant?” Ahiru finally asked while avoiding his observant stare.

“unimportant?” he burst out in laughter, surprised by her question. “Is that all? My word, what a ridiculous question!” with one look at Ahiru’s humiliated expression, Drosselmeyer hurriedly cleared his throat to correct himself. He placed his teacup on the table next to hers and uncrossed his legs.

“W-what I mean is! It’s ludicrous to think you’re unimportant, Ahiru! Simply, ludacris!”

Ahiru hid her face behind her knees. She couldn’t work up the courage to face him. “What do you mean?”

“I mean exactly what I say! You  _ are  _ needed here, Ahiru. Sure, my younger brother may have left you on my front step, and you’re not much help around the house, and you’re not necessarily the brightest at school…” Ahiru felt a stab with every accusation he shot at her (not that she could deny them), “…but I wouldn’t change a thing about you! It’s quite overwhelming to see that depressed look on your face!”

She grumbled. “Uncle, your sadism is showing again,” Ahiru warned, seeing her uncle’s blissful expression.

Drosselmeyer sighed in defeat and placed his cheek in his hand. He was well aware of his lack of skills as a life coach, but even cheering up a young girl was too audacious for him, it seemed. 

As someone who never married, Drosselmeyer wasn’t well trained to behave properly around children. They were so strange to him, nevermind the fact that he once was one. It had been far too many years to remember those days.

If Ahiru felt unhappy, there was only one thing Drosselmeyer knew would never fail to cheer up a child.

Young Ahiru watched as her uncle briskly walked over to his desk and reached down into one of his many drawers. Brushing aside some loose pages, Drosselmeyer pulled out a wooden figurine and carried it over to the couch. He blew away the dust that had settled on top and brushed the rest away with a quick swipe of his hand and sat next to his niece. Ahiru put her legs down to better examine the figurine. 

“This young man has been in my care for a long time now.” he explained, “He’s been very good to me, however, he has sustained a terrible injury.”

“Injury?” Ahiru asked, worry laced in her tone.

Drosselmeyer picked a walnut from the glass bowl sitting in the middle of the coffee table and brought it to the wooden doll’s lips. Pulling a lever in its back, Ahiru realized the figurine was actually a nutcracker! 

The nut entered the nutcracker’s mouth, but when Drosselmeyer attempted to snap it shut again, the lever broke off, which caught both of them by surprise.

“Looks like I may have used a little too much force on the poor boy,” Drosselmeyer concluded, scratching the side of his head. “Well, now he’s  _ certainly  _ broken.”

Ahiru took the Nutcracker and couldn’t help but admire how beautiful he was. Without the lever attached to his back, the nutcracker looked like any other soldier toy. He wore a bright red military uniform with tasseled shoulder plates, painted gold buttons, and a large cylindrical blue hat with matching gold accents. His hair was whiter than fresh snow, and his golden eyes seemed to glimmer in the firelight. 

His expression is what captured Ahiru’s attention the most. His gaze felt so distant and so sad. Ahiru wondered why the artist painted him this way.

”If you love him so much, why don’t you repair him?” she asked.

Drosselmeyer observed Ahiru’s fascination the young soldier in her hands and grinned. “Well, I wouldn’t say I ‘love’ it. It’s just a simple nutcracker! I don’t have the time to waste on such a trivial decorative piece like him. He was once useful to me but I have come to put him aside. I don’t need him anymore. I’ll simply buy another one. There are hundreds just like him.”

Ahiru flashed him a wounded look. “Don’t say things like that, Uncle! Just because he’s broken doesn’t mean he’s useless! And there may be other nutcrackers in the world, but none of them are like this one!” she offered the nutcracker a soft, caring expression, as though she could find a piece of herself in him. 

“He’s special. I can tell.”

“You can tell, eh?” he muttered to himself, eyebrow raised. “That is exactly why I’m entrusting it to you.”

Ahiru immediately looked up at him, shocked, “You’re giving him to me? Why?”

Drosselmeyer smirked. “Since you seem to have taken such a liking to the thing, I don’t see why not! Consider it an early Christmas present from me.”

Ahiru lit up like the grand Christmas tree in the living room. “Thank you, Uncle Drosselmeyer! Thank you! Thank you!” She pulled him into a hug, completely ignoring his protests. She released the poor man and jumped up from the sofa with the Nutcracker in hand. “I promise I’ll take good care of him!”

Drosselmeyer stood next to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “That is all I could ask for.”

Behind them, there was a familiar knock on the door before it creaked open again. Paul, the head butler, entered. “Sir, your first guests have arrived. Mr. and Mrs. Von’s carriage just pulled into the driveway.”

“Aha!” Drosselmeyer excitedly proclaimed, “Guests arriving early? How rude! I’ll never let them live this down. Oh, grab my coat for me, please, Ahiru. I’ve got to hurry! I’m already off to a late start!” 

The young girl found her uncle’s large black tailcoat hung over the side of his desk chair and rushed over to pick it up. She stood behind her Uncle’s tall back and attempted to pull it up over his shoulders, but after seeing her struggles, Paul was the one who finished the job. He even thanked Ahiru for helping and escorted her uncle away to attend to his guests. Before Paul shut the door behind them he made sure to remind Ahiru that her maid was waiting to in her room to help her change into her party dress.

Ahiru grabbed her nutcracker before sprinting out of Drosselmeyer’s office. She was not looking forward to the scolding she would receive upon her arrival.

The party was as fun as it was exhausting. The house was filled with guests of all ages and there was plenty of food to go around. 

Ahiru spent most of the night dancing to her heart’s content. She wasn’t a very skilled dancer, but that didn’t stop her from trying. After many hours of twirling with glee, the blisters on her feet were too much to bear and she settled in a chair for the rest of the evening. 

Her two close friends, Pike and Lilie, were more than obliged to keep her company during the times when she wasn’t dancing the night away. She didn’t particularly care for their gossip, but Ahiru enjoyed every minute she had to spend with the girls.

After dinner, Drosselmeyer gathered all the children in the main hall around the enormous Christmas tree. Ahiru always enjoyed this part of the party because her uncle would slip away for a few minutes and return clothed in some of the most ridiculous garments anyone had ever seen. It was always the gossip of the town until New Year’s.

That night, he wore a long dark green tunic, brown tights, a hat with long colorful feathers, brown buckled shoes, and a red coat with a green salamander embroidered on the back.

As he revealed himself in costume, the room silenced momentarily in awe before breaking into laughter and applause. The children swarmed at his feet already aware of what was to come next.

Ahiru watched from the couch with her cup of eggnog as her uncle gave a grand speech and thanked all the guests for coming and making the party a success. He went on long enough to irritate the children and test their patience to the breaking point. 

Finally, after one child pulled on his coat and ordered him to move along, the room erupted in laughter at his bluntness and Drosselmeyer signaled for the gifts to be brought in.

A line of butlers lead by Paul entered the room and began bringing out large presents, some even taller than Ahiru! The children watched with stars in their eyes as the gifts were marched in one by one, all wrapped with a differently patterned paper and tied with ribbons. Once all the presents had been set and lined up single file, Drosselmeyer waved in grandeur as if they were at a horse race and the mob of children descended on the boxes. 

Paper flew wildly through the air as determined little hands ripped the wrapping to shreds. Ribbons and bows were stripped from their packaging and a few of the girls even tied them on their dresses as accessories. One boy raised his gift above the mass of heads and shouted to his parents to show them what he got. It was a miniature fire engine with a ladder, hose, and golden bell on top.

Ahiru clung to her Nutcracker as the children raged on, and Drosselmeyer asked why she wasn’t picking a gift this year. She simply smiled and said she already had her Christmas gift while looking at the nutcracker comfortably secure in her arms. The old man chuckled and placed his feathered hat on her head while wiping the eggnog mustache from her lip. As she peeked out from under the rim, her uncle had already returned to speak with his colleagues.

It wasn’t much longer after that when the night finally began to settle down. Families carried their sleeping children to the carriages waiting outside, whispered their last goodbyes to their host, and headed into the snowy night. There were a few attendees who had had their fill of eggnog and Drosselmeyer led their overnight guests to the prepared rooms upstairs.

Ahiru had gotten ready for bed, but insisted on helping the maids clean up the large mess sitting in the main hall since she was unable to help with the setup. It didn't take long, however, for the eggnog began to lull her to sleep as well. The maids noticed her stumbling and ushered her over to the couch to rest. One of the ladies took Drosselmeyer’s hat from her head and draped a blanket over her shoulders as she laid her head on the pillows. The next minute, Ahiru lost herself in her dreams as her nutcracker guarded her at her side.

Drosselmeyer guided the last guests to the door and wished them all a good night and Merry Christmas. The door clicked shut, and the old man sighed in relief. As he passed through the living room towards his bedroom, he found Ahiru asleep on the sofa sleeping soundly. He smiled, brushed her bangs back to gently kiss her forehead, and whispered, “Sweet dreams, my little duck,” before quietly tiptoeing past her towards his personal chambers.

By then, the staff had congregated downstairs in the servant's hall and had begun their own Christmas celebration leaving the rest of the house completely still. The rhythmic ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room reverberated through most of the house, pulling all the residents into a hypnotic slumber.

That is… until the clock struck midnight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thoughts? Opinions? Concerns?  
> Comment 'em below and let me know! :)


	2. The Raven

The snow continued to trickle down outside the main windows like leaves in the fall. The light of the full moon shone through the clouds just as the clock chimed out its usual midnight tune. The simple song echoed through the halls only to fall on deaf ears. But that did not mean there wasn’t trouble brewing.

Outside the window, a black speck emerged from the shadows. 

Followed by another.

And another.

The large swarm of black feathered creatures began viciously rapping at the window and squawking a sort of battle cry. Ahiru, in her eggnog-induced sleep, simply rolled over and grumbled despite the growing terror outside. The birds had become so many their silhouette completely hid the glow of the moon outside, leaving the room in shadow.

From the corner of the room, a twinkling speck of light jetted out from the cuckoo door in the grandfather clock and began twirling through the air leaving a glittering trail behind it. It danced through the room until it noticed the vicious birds outside. Immediately, it stopped its dance and shot straight towards the Nutcracker’s chest, seeping through the wood and knocking it to the floor. Ahiru, unperturbed, sighed and kept to her happy dreaming.

The Nutcracker creaked to life, a glow spreading through his golden eyes. He blinked slowly as though waking up from a long slumber and steadily pulled himself to his feet. As he steadied himself, the flock of birds outside crashed through the window into the parlor. Glass shards scattered across the floor with a loud crash. The black feathered creatures gathered close to the ceiling, surveyed the room, and descended on the living figurine. 

The Nutcracker took the sword at his side and immediately began swinging and thrusting it to fend them off. A few black creatures perched on the back of the couch, tilted their heads as Ahiru slept, and erupted in an argument in her face.

The poor girl startled awake only to be greeted by a group of ferocious birds. Ahiru stumbled off the couch as the birds begin their assault on her. She screamed with fear as they began attacking her.

“Stop it!” she cried, “Get off me! Get away!” she swatted the bird relentlessly pulling at her long braid, but two more were pecking their razor-sharp beaks at her ankles. She cried out with each stab and fell to her knees, not knowing what else to do to make them stop.

Ahiru then took a pillow from the couch and used it as a weapon to fend them off. “Back! Get back!” She ordered, still swinging the pillow. A few birds were hit and fell to the ground with pained screeches. 

The sound of a sword clashed below. On the other side of the room at the base of the Christmas tree a tiny man stood alone as he fought off the crows with a silver sword. Then Ahiru realized the tiny man was dressed exactly like her Nutcracker. After a frantic glance around the room, Ahiru was even more shocked that her Nutcracker had disappeared from her side.

“So, you’re the one who’s been hiding him, hm?” a low voice smooth as silk observed. 

Ahiru jumped up and swiveled to find a raven larger than the rest perched on the arm of the couch and this one was somehow more devious. Its feathers were darker than pitch, and Ahiru could have sworn it was  _ smirking  _ at her. There was no one else around to help her, to her discomfort.

“Did the bird just...speak?” Ahiru asked aloud in shock.

The bird sighed in annoyance. “I don’t see anyone here in line to talk to an insufferable brat, so I would presume that, yes,  _ the bird is talking to you _ .” He answered without trying to hide his irritation. “I hate to crash and run, but I came for that pesky little Nutcracker there, so I’ll just grab him and I’ll be on my way.” 

Ahiru gripped the pillow tightly, ready to defend herself unsure if she was even capable. She wasn’t sure what was going on, but anything this insane could only be a dream! 

Right?

“I’ll never let you take me, Raven!” came an unfamiliar voice at the base of the tree, “You’ll have to try harder than that!” Though badly scratched, the tiny soldier stood above a small pile of birds, pointing his saber directly at the Raven.

“I never should have made you a nutcracker.” the raven lamented and raised a wing to massage his temple, “Why did I have to change you into the one object with a  _ mouth _ ? I won’t be making the same mistake twice! This time I won’t be so merciful!”

Ahiru watched the Raven as it slowly shifted its body to dive for the Nutcracker, instinctively leaped forward, and grabbed its extended legs before it could strike its target. The two crashed to the floor and the Raven thrashed furiously about squawking in her ears so loudly they rang in her head.

“No, let him go!” the Nutcracker urgently pleaded with Ahiru, “Don’t hang on!”

Ahiru didn’t understand why he was so adamant about letting the Raven go when he was obviously about to strike him! She shook her head and strengthened her grip on the Raven.

“I can’t! He’ll hurt you!” Ahiru shouted over the sound of the Raven’s wings flapping furiously. The Nutcracker stood speechless, bewildered by the girl’s unwarranted faith in him.

“You stupid girl! If you want to get in my way so badly then you’ll pay the toll!”

Somehow the Nutcracker knew what was coming and sprinted towards them to stop it, but his wooden legs couldn’t reach Ahiru in time. “Look out!” he cried out, feeling helplessness to stop what was coming.

The Raven jerked free of Ahiru’s grip and cast a wave of dark ominous magic at her. Ahiru was struck by the Raven’s curse and began shrinking at an alarming rate.

She searched for anything to help her or grab onto, but she was powerless to stop the curse. “W-what’s happening?” her words trembled. She stumbled as the curse took hold, terrified that she might keep shrinking until there was nothing left of her.

The room kept stretching upward until finally, everything stabilized. Ahiru held her breath as the crushing weight of reality settled in. 

She was the same size as her nutcracker! Now at her side, the Nutcracker kneeled down beside her as though to shield Ahiru from any further tricks.

The Raven laughed at the look of terror on her face, “You’re a fool for trying to stand up against me! Now, look at yourself. Your size finally suits you! Someone as small as you should disappear entirely.” 

“That’s enough!”

The Nutcracker soared through the air with his saber raised over his shoulder. Unprepared to evade the attack, the Raven was slashed across his chest and let out a sharp cry. The black feathered creature tumbled to the ground in defeat at the Nutcracker’s feet grunting in pain as the wound spilled open.

The Nutcracker stood over his foe victoriously and prepared for the finishing blow, but before his weapon could find its mark, the Raven’s army flocked to their king forming a protective barrier. The Nutcracker tried to slash his way through but there were just too many of them blocking his path.

With their enemy distracted, the birds carried the Raven back through the window into the night in a hasty retreat. A bird perched on the windowsill vengefully cawed at the two of them and shot off after the others. 

The Nutcracker waited in case any of them decided to return but slowly sheathed his blade. He doubted he could take on another attack and still come out standing. 

His attention then turned to the small girl shivering on the floor alone, doubled in on herself. Ahiru sat in shock with her legs beside her, immobile. She shivered restlessly and her vision blurred with tears threatening to spill over. She squeezed her eyes shut, and forced her breathing to slow.

_ “This can’t possibly be real!” _ She thought, “ _ I must be dreaming! Birds can’t talk and nutcrackers certainly don’t come to life, so it simply  _ has  _ to be a dream! When I open my eyes, I’ll be safe in my bed at back to my normal size.” _

She counted down to gather her courage. 

_ One _

_ Two _

_...Three! _

Ahiru’s eyes flew open and were met with a golden gaze. 

“Qua-!” She yelped, quickly covering her mouth. The nutcracker’s face was only a few inches away from her own as he kneeled down to see what was wrong. They both jerked back in surprise with wide eyes. The Nutcracker chuckled at Ahiru’s startled expression and sat beside her at a comfortable distance.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.” He apologized with a friendly smile, “Are you alright?”

Ahiru cleared her throat and straightened the pleats of her dress, “Um, yes, thank you.”

He offered his hand to help her up but Ahiru was still transfixed with the Nutcracker at her side that was now  _ very much alive _ . 

She took his hand but was conflicted whether to focus on the fact that his hand was made of wood, or that she was now  _ shorter  _ than him- a nutcracker! Ahiru wilted at the thought of losing what little height she had.

“Y-you’re alive, and you can speak! And you saved me! The big raven tried to kill us, but you saved me! Oh my gosh, I almost died...” 

The reality of the situation hit her all at once and Ahiru’s head began to spin. A strong hand secured around the small of her back as the Nutcracker eased her back down to the carpet.

“Maybe it’s too soon to stand right now.” his calmness was surprisingly warm despite his lack of body heat, “Don’t push yourself. You’ve had a long night.”

With a shaky breath, Ahiru sighed. Whether it was from exhaustion or confusion she didn’t know. Probably both.

“What was that thing, and why did it attack us?”

The Nutcracker’s expression turned serious. “That  _ thing _ is what we’re up against. My guess is that he’s the one whos responsible for my being a nutcracker, just like his curse made you smaller. For some reason, he’s been searching for me and tonight he finally succeeded.” To Ahiru’s surprise, he smiled gratefully towards her. “It’s all thanks to you that I’m still out of his clutches.”

Embarrassed, Ahiru turned away with burning cheeks. She watched him carefully from beneath her dark lashes and hesitantly asked the burning question on her mind, “Are you really my Nutcracker?”

“I mean,” She interrupted almost immediately, “It’s been a really long night and I am so tired and I drank _ so much _ eggnog so I might just be dreaming! Or maybe hallucinating! It’s not like an army of nasty birds comes bursting through my window every night! Not to say I don’t like birds- I  _ love  _ birds! But when one of them shrinks you down to the size of a doll, the situation is different from I’m used to, that’s all!

“And you! A nutcracker one moment then moving, speaking, and...saving me the next.” Ahiru finally stopped, completely out of breath and hoped that he didn’t think she was crazy. She couldn’t believe she worried over a nutcracker’s perception of her. A  _ nutcracker _ ! What a night it was turning out to be. “Never could I have imagined this to happen, and now I don’t know what to do.”

“To answer your question,” he began slowly, overwhelmed after her rambling, “I’m not sure. I have no idea how long I’ve been the way I am and I can’t even remember what I did to get cursed by that Raven. My memories are so fuzzy like they’ve been locked away and I don’t remember where I put the key.”

Ahiru scooted closer to gently place her hand on his arm. The lost look in his eyes made her heart swell with sympathy. “Maybe we should start with what you  _ do  _ remember!” Ahiru asked. “Do you know who that Raven was?”

He shook his head. “It’s strange to think that I can’t remember something that despises me so much. But before tonight, I have no memories of him.”

“What about where you came from?”

A head shake.

“Your name?”

“I can’t remember anything. I must have forgotten with the passage of time. I must have been asleep for longer than I thought.”

Ahiru smiled warmly hoping to lighten the mood. “Then the only thing to do now is to uncover those memories. I bet that’s the key to lifting this curse!”

He returned a smile. “I suppose that means you’re cursed as well then....”

“Ahiru.” She supplied.

He carefully took her hand on his shoulder into his wooden hand. “Then, Miss Ahiru, it seems to me we are in this together.”

Ahiru’s eyes moved to the side and she jumped up. “Oh no…” Her eyes traveled around the room, taking in the enormity of...well,  _ everything _ .

What was she going to do? What would Uncle think? He would probably have a field day with the dreadful state she was in. There was no way she could go to school the size she was! Even her doll clothes would be too big on her, never mind her school uniform! She wondered if any of the maids could sew her a dress with her new measurements. Simply imagining the new lifestyle she’d have to adjust to made her slump back to the ground next to the Nutcracker.

“Right when I was beginning to think that maybe there was something even I could do, now I’m more helpless than before!” She cried as a tear trailed down her cheek. The Nutcracker reached over and tenderly brushed it away, causing a raging blush to spread across Ahiru’s face. “Wha-”

“Miss Ahiru, I promise, no matter what, I will stay by your side until I find a way to free you from this curse. It’s my fault that you were dragged into this mess and will not rest until I make things right. Can you ever forgive me?” Ahiru could feel her heart swelling as tears brimmed at her eyes. Never has anyone talked to her this way before and all her emotions were rapidly surging to the surface. 

Moved by his thoughtful words, Ahiru smiled and wiped the tears from her eyes. “There is nothing to forgive, nor is any of this your fault. It was my actions alone that got me where I am. and please be rest assured I do not regret them for a moment.”

A lighthearted smile adorned his painted face. Before the Nutcracker could respond, his head suddenly turned as something had caught his attention. “Did you hear that?”

Ahiru sat patiently waiting for a sound but couldn’t hear or see anything out of the ordinary. “It’s probably just the servants downstairs. They’ll be celebrating all night. There’s no use waiting for them to find us.”

Still dubious, the Nutcracker kept listening. A few seconds passed of nothing but suddenly, Ahiru could make out the soft notes of a familiar melody. The gentle music of a pipe organ enveloped the room as something over Ahiru’s shoulder caught the nutcracker’s attention.

Ahiru followed his eyes to the foot of the grandfather clock where a small, pale young woman of similar size turned the crank of a barrel organ. The woman wore a blank expression, but Ahiru could feel her eyes watching them.

As though in a trance, the Nutcracker rose from the rug and began walking towards the woman. Ahiru’s first reaction was of fear, but after seeing her rescuer moving towards the woman, she didn’t hesitate to join him and clutched to his arm. 

“Are you sure about this? What if she’s with the Raven?”

The Nutcracker’s expression was wary but there was no excusing his courage. “We won’t know until we ask. If she had come here to fight us, she would have done so already. No, she’s waiting for us.”

Ahiru couldn’t think of any reason to protest and continued following behind.

When they were a comfortable distance away, the Nutcracker stopped. Ahiru stole a peek from her hiding place to observe the woman.

To Ahiru’s amazement, her porcelain white skin was without as a single blemish or scar. Her light hair gleamed with a green tint and was worn in an updo that seemed to defy gravity. Her makeup was dramatic but not heavy while also enhancing the detached look in her eyes. She stood with a ladylike posture that Ahiru lacked and with her feet in ballet’s third position. The barrel organ they heard before now rested in front of her on a stand. The strange dress she wore looked as though it came from the costume department at her Uncle’s university, but she couldn’t say it was the strangest thing she had seen that night, by far.

“Do not be afraid. I haven’t come to harm you.” She said after acknowledging Ahiru’s reaction. Though her voice was toneless Ahiru could sense her sincerity and stepped out from her hiding place.

“Who are you?” Ahiru spoke with all the courage she had but stuck to the Nutcracker’s side as though they were glued together. 

“Edel is the name that was chosen for me, just like Ahiru was the name chosen for you.”

Ahiru jutted back in surprise, like a squirrel in a tree. “How do you know my name? Have we met before Miss Edel?”

“We have not needed to be acquainted before, though I have known about you for a long time, Ahiru.”

The nutcracker stepped forward. “Do you know my name, Miss Edel?”

The woman tilted her head and shifted her attention to the Nutcracker, though her expression remained hollow. “I see you have awakened, Nutcracker. It has been many years since you last spoke. I am not at all surprised your memories have faded away. Do not worry, there is a way to recover them again.”

“Really?” Ahiru blurted, “How? How do we get his memories back?” The Nutcracker did not say anything but the hopeful look on his face was enough to show how vigilant he was.

“You must take a journey to reclaim what was lost. It won’t be easy, however, should you succeed, you will find everything you need.”

Ahiru’s brow creased with worry. “A journey? How far do we have to go? I’m not very confident with my...current state. Maybe we could stay here and just… think really hard?”

The Nutcracker steeled his expression. “If you’re certain that this trek will help me recover my memories, show me the way.”

“Wait a second!” Ahiru exclaimed, unbelieving. “We’ve only just met this woman and you’re so quick to trust her- no offense,” she added towards the woman, “Are you actually going to stake everything on what she’s saying? What if she’s lying?”

He paused, considering her words for a moment. “Ahiru, we don’t have many options right now, and I think this our best chance. I promised you I would fix all of this, but that’s not possible without taking any risks.”

“You’re free to stay here and live out the rest of your life the size of a mouse, Ahiru.” The woman offered, “But that isn’t what you want.”

Her confidence was as startling as her accuracy, Ahiru could at least admit that much. But she still wasn’t sure about a long journey, especially so suddenly! At such a small size, just trying to get to her bedroom upstairs sounded like a ‘journey.’ 

What would happen when her Uncle noticed she was gone? She would hate to make him worry, even though he loved to worry. 

“Come closer, Ahiru. I have something for you.”

Ahiru jumped at the mention of her name and hid behind the Nutcracker. She looked up to him with wide eyes, and the Nutcracker almost chuckled before nodding his head in approval.

The young girl slowly emerged from her hiding place and walked slowly up to the woman. Creeping forward as though waiting to activate some kind of trap.

The music box that Ahiru first took for a pipe organ opened to reveal multiple shelves full of glittering jewelry! The chains and gems glittered together, practically falling out of the many drawers. Out of the many exquisite pieces, the young woman pulled out a simple gold chain with a dark red garnet teardrop pendant from the pile. She held it out to her.

Ahiru moved closer and turned her back to the woman as she fastened it around her neck. She leaned down close to Ahiru’s ear and whispered, “This is a magical gem with more secrets than you know. In times of darkness, this jewel will show you the light.” Ahiru gave her a confused look. “Keep it close.”

Ahiru immediately darted back to the Nutcracker’s side and clutched the garnet gently resting at her collarbone. 

“Why did you give this to me?” she asked, befuddled by her unexpected and very generous gift. The music box at the woman’s side automatically closed up again, concealing the treasures that laid inside. 

“That necklace holds the key to your safe return. Simply remove it from your neck and you will be transported back here safe and sound. Once it is removed, the spell cannot be undone, however, so be careful. 

“It was given to me by a person who traveled the same path as you do now. It is quite powerful. Keep it safe.”

Ahiru held the gem in her hand, watching how the firelight made it sparkle. Ahiru was no expert in jewelry, but she could tell the necklace was authentic. She slipped the pendant below the neckline of her dress. “I will protect it with my life, Miss...”

“My name is Edel.” The woman placed a hand over her chest and curtsied respectively. “Should you ever lose your way, I will come to your aid, so do not be afraid, Ahiru.”

Ahiru awkwardly returned the curtsy while the Nutcracker bowed with a tip of his hat. “Thank you for your help, Miss Edel. I- we- surely won’t forget it.”

The nutcracker stepped forward, “Miss Edel, what exactly are we looking for on this journey? Where are we going?”

Edel turned to address the Nutcracker, “The only one who can undo the curse of the Raven is called Princess Tutu.”

“Princess... Tutu?” they asked together, sharing a skeptical look. 

Ahiru tilted her head. “Is that even a real person?”

Edel continued undeterred, “She lives on an island far off the mainland. The journey alone will convince her that you are worthy of her help. Find Princess Tutu and you will be freed from your curse.”

Edel moved to the side to reveal a small wooden door etched into the bottom of the grandfather clock. Ahiru had lived with her Uncle most of her life and thought she had explored every inch of the estate, but this detail was new to her. When had a door been put into the clock?

They moved closer and Ahiru felt the worn edges of the wood. Was it possible that she simply overlooked it? Before she had any more time to ponder over it, the Nutcracker pushed through the threshold and looked back at her.

“Are you ready?” he asked and offered his hand to her.

Ahiru jerked back to the present and nodded eagerly. “This is absolutely crazy... but yes.” She took his hand, and with one last worried look towards Edel, who watched with her token emotionless face and walked into the unknown.


	3. The Snowflakes

Ahiru trailed behind the Nutcracker through the pitch blackness of the clock. The gears clinking echoed deeply somewhere overhead, almost like the clock was larger inside than its exterior led one to believe. The Nutcracker guided the way and made sure to walk slowly to keep from tripping or falling.

Ahiru waited for some sign of an exit, but there was nothing to see. It was so dark she couldn’t see her own hand directly in front of her face. The only sounds were of the ticking clock and the creaking of the old wooden clock’s supports beneath their feet.

“Can you see anything up ahead?” Ahiru asked. They had been walking in a straight line with no indication that they were any closer to finding Princess Tutu.

“I still can’t see anything but if we turn around and ask Edel-  _ WOAH _ !”

The Nutcracker unexpectedly propelled forward down into a hidden hole in the floor. Ahiru, who was still grasping onto his hand, was yanked down with him head-first. Almost in free-fall, they tumbled down a large twisting tunnel brightly lit with multiple flashing lights. 

The tunnel twisted randomly and jerked the two stunned travelers in every which way. A scream trapped itself in her throat. Her eyes squeezed shut to avoid being blinded by the lights and crouched into a ball with her arms holding her legs to her chest. Feeling helpless to the whims of fate, all she could do was pray it would end quickly.

Ahiru felt the Nutcracker’s solid grip on her arm and looked up to see him anchoring tethering them together. Up ahead, a large glowing hole in the wall of the tunnel quickly approached. 

In a split-second decision and using the adjacent wall to kick off of, the Nutcracker shot both of them through the exit.

“Hold on, Ahiru!” 

 

The glowing gateway transported them into a dark, wintery cave. They fell from a ceiling nearly twenty feet above the frozen floor and dropped down into a deep pile of snow. The only source of light in the entire cave was the light of the portal, causing the cave to fill with a prism of colors to dance along every solid surface, including the stalactite icicles hanging from the ceilings and along the walls.

They crashed into the feather-soft powder with a surprising lack of sound besides a soft  _ crunch  _ as they completely submerged into the snow. Ahiru gasped for breath as the adrenaline began to subside. It was relieving to be still, even for just a moment. The freezing snow felt surprisingly pleasant against her hot skin. 

Well, for no more than a few seconds. She did not enjoy the feeling of her clothes getting soaked through. 

Like a duck learning to swim, Ahiru flapped her arms around wildly to reposition herself right-side-up and padded out of the snow pile. She shivered restlessly with her bare arms hardly supporting her body heat. Then she realized during their panicked escape, Ahiru had lost track of her partner.

“N-nutcracker? Where are you?”

A wooden arm rose above the crest of snow and gently waved to her. “Over here, Ahiru! My leg’s stuck!”

Ahiru huffed a sigh of relief and trekked through the snow toward the wooden man, holding up the hem of her dress to keep from tripping over herself. With each step she took up the hill, her feet sunk deeper, making it more difficult the higher she climbed. When she made it back to the top of the mountain of snow, she bent over to catch her breath.

“I think I’m wedged in,” The Nutcracker called, “Can you help pull me out?”

The girl, chattering teeth and all, trudged over to the snow-covered wooden soldier and held out her hand. He grabbed on to it and after a countdown, Ahiru began to pull with all her remaining strength. On the second attempt, the Nutcracker came loose from the snow’s hold and was launched into the air. Ahiru tripped over her the hem of her dress and the Nutcracker fell on top of her. Ahiru’s face flooded with a sudden heat she didn’t know her body still possessed and laid on her back completely at a loss for words.

“I’m so sorry!” The Nutcracker apologized frantically.

“No, it was my fault!” Ahiru scrambled, “I should have been more careful. I’m naturally clumsy! Haha!”

Then the Nutcracker tried to stand, but couldn’t for some reason. He looked back and realized his legs had disappeared. 

“I must have lost my legs in the fall.” He looked up at the portal shimmering along the ceiling to map their fall, shielding his eyes from the bright light with the back of his hand.

Ahiru helped him sit up in the snow beside her while she found her footing. She turned away and hoped the Nutcracker hadn’t seen the flaming blush still staining her cheeks. Maybe he would mistake it for the cold. “Don’t worry, they’re bound to be around here somewhere!” 

Not even after taking three steps, Ahiru’s foot caught on something and sent her flying directly into the snow again. She slouched in the snow, completely defeated.

“Can I catch a  _ break _ ,” She begged to no one in particular, “ _ please _ ?”

Using his upper arms, the Nutcracker managed to crawl next to her. “Wait, Ahiru. Look!” Ahiru wiped a tear from her eye as he lifted up one of his detached wooden legs Ahiru tripped over from the snow. He brushed away the snow piled on top, connected it the joint in his hip, and the wooden limb joined back together effortlessly. He bent his leg to make sure all the limb still worked properly. Both of them released sighs of relief with smiles on their faces when it did.

“That’s one down, one more to go.” He smiled with a determined grin that Ahiru needed to see more than he knew. She grinned and brushed the snow from her dress.

Ahiru helped the Nutcracker hobble over to the other missing leg jutting out from the snow while making sure to keep their faces a respectable distance apart, even his was made of wood. She couldn’t figure out why she was so conscious of him. Did the Nutcracker feel the same? Judging on his expression alone was a dead end. With a body made of wood, there weren’t any signs of flushing or shortness of breath to rely on for clues. 

Well, none of the same clues  _ she  _ was giving off. 

She subconsciously avoided looking him in the eyes and found herself constantly staring at the ground. Her stomach fluttered with more butterflies than she could stand and their restlessness made her want to pluck them all out herself. Her hands slipped against the Nutcracker’s polished wood finish, making it very difficult to act as his crutch.

Thankfully, despite the dizziness in her head, his smile was enough to keep her feet trudging through the snow. Together, they managed to find the Nutcracker’s other leg and Ahiru was silently relieved she had been alleviated of her duties as a cane.

“Now then,” He began with a zealous tone, “to find a way out of here…”

Ahiru placed a hand on one of the glossy frozen walls. The chill raced up her arms as she jerked back. “It’s frozen solid and it’s impossible to know how thick it is!”

The Nutcracker took the saber from his side. “Maybe we can cut our way out of here.” He thrust his sword at the ice. It deflected off, only managing to scrape a few shavings off the wall. 

He brushed a wooden hand over the surface. “Not even so much as a dent.”

Ahiru stood shivering in her dress, panic beginning to settle in once again. “W-well what do we do?! We can’t go back! The portal is too high!”

As though it knew its presence was being discussed, the magical portal began to close.

“No no no no NO!” Ahiru ran towards the hole, hoping to find something to keep the entrance opened, with no success.

As it completely vanished, the cave descended into darkness. “Not  _ this  _ again.” Ahiru cried.

The Nutcracker, sensing the girl’s oncoming panic, pulled her into an embrace, nearly startling her out of her own skin. “It’s going to be okay, Ahiru. Close your eyes. It’ll make the darkness less intimidating.” He allowed time for Ahiru to take his advice before he continued. “We have to think.”

Ahiru nodded in agreement against his chest. His wooden body didn’t insulate as much warmth as the Nutcracker might have thought, but being held so closely certainly calmed her down. The butterflies came rushing back in full force, but she was more concerned about freezing to acknowledge the feeling.

“We’ll use my arm as kindling to start a fire, that should warm you up a bit and provide enough light to see-”

“No!” Ahiru interrupted furiously, “You can’t sacrifice your own arm for my sake! I won’t let you!”

“But, Ahiru-” He tried to argue.

Something in Ahiru kept her going, completely fearless. “Making such a reckless choice without thinking about yourself is impossible to even consider. I can’t let you do that! I care about you too much to let you make a detrimental decision, especially on your part-!”

“Ahiru-”

There was a warmth in her chest that kept her words flowing unfiltered, completely raw. “-and stop saying that all of this is your fault! It’s not! My choices are my own and I don’t regret protecting you because you’re my friend now and we’re going to figure this out together!”

“Ahiru!”

Out of breath, the passionate girl was forced to listen. Suddenly, she realized the warmth from her chest wasn’t internal at all. She opened her eyes to find the necklace sitting comfortably on her collarbone was glowing with a warm red light. A small circle around them illuminated with a red hue.

“What’s happening?” Ahiru gasped.

The Nutcracker released her from his chest but held her hands in his own. “I don’t know, but as soon as you began speaking so fast it started to shine.”

Ahiru held the gem in her fingertips and turned it to observe every angle. Sure enough, the light was coming from  _ inside _ . As she wondered what it could mean, she remembered Edel’s words.

She recalled aloud under her breath,  _ “In times of darkness, this jewel will show you the light.” _

“What was that, Ahiru?” The Nutcracker couldn’t hear what she had said. Before she could respond, the necklace pulled Ahiru forward, past the Nutcracker toward the wall of the cave. Ahiru stumbled through the darkness, watching out for cracks in the ice floor while only being able to see a few feet ahead of her in the light of the garnet. The necklace led Ahiru to a shallow depression in the surface of the ice before returning to lie normally on her chest continuing to glow softly. 

From behind them, a gentle breeze rushed past. Snowflakes danced in the wind and raced towards the indention. They twirled and spun in a beautiful dance that left Ahiru and the Nutcracker in awe. Their intricate but gentle patterns were something beyond anything they could have imagined.

Their movements synchronized together like a puzzle fitting perfectly into place. Ahiru finally put together what was happening. She wrapped her arm around the Nutcracker’s and pulled him away from the wall.

“They need more room! I think they’re trying to help us!” 

Unable to find the words to say, he nodded and followed her lead. “Uh, okay. Right.” 

The snowflakes twirled around the two travelers and brought a cool breeze with them. They continued to watch the snowflakes dance to their fullest and at the climax, they whirled together and flew towards the dent in the ice, pushing past and breaking through to the other side. 

Immediately, bright rays of sunlight exploded through the opening, bathing the cave in a fresh warm light. Ahiru hesitantly stepped toward the tunnel before touching the smooth edges of the openning carved away by the snowflakes.

She began walking through before finding herself running towards the exit with a gleeful smile on her face. The Nutcracker called after her, but she was too excited to wait for him. 

The tunnel was short enough for the Nutcracker to need to bend over slightly but was the perfect height for Ahiru. As the exit came into view, she ran on ahead. At the mouth of the tunnel, she was forced to protect her eyes from the direct sunlight.

The air smelled fresh of the city fumes and contaminated morning fog. As Ahiru’s eyes adjusted and looked at the bluest sky she had ever seen, she considered the legitimacy of what she was seeing. 

The warmth of the late afternoon sun enveloped her frozen figure and she wondered if it would be terrible to just be in that single moment forever. The bitter cold of the cave melted away and left only a sense of peace and warmth coursing through her veins. She felt like the embodiment of spring itself.

“Ahiru, don’t run ahead. I thought I lost you-” 

Any chance of the Nutcracker finishing his thought was diminished as he emerged from the tunnel. He joined Ahiru on the edge of a large cliff overlooking a vast kingdom.

Underneath a sky bluer than the sea, the land stretched as far as the eye could see. Below them, a forest expanded far and wide of snow dusted pine trees reaching skyward. Resting on top of a cliff off in the distance rising high above the treetops stood a magnificent castle with looming spires and a towering wall. Surrounding the castle below was a large town also surrounded by its own cobblestone wall, each cottage springing up over the lip of the barrier with its own shingled roof.

A dirt road connected the civilization to the wilderness but it seemed surprisingly quiet. Ahiru noticed that the same road appeared on their side of the woods to help guide them.

Ahiru nudjed him playfully, “Beautiful, isn’t it?”

The Nutcracker’s eyes widened. “I think I know this place,” He said, almost not believeing his own words.

Ahiru urgently pried her eyes away from the scenery. “You do?” she asked eagerly, “That’s great!”

His expression became tense as he brought a hand to his temple. “I know I’ve seen this place before, but I can’t remember when. Or how! Nothing makes any sort of sense!” He began pounding on his wooden head, trying to knock the memories out. “I just have to think harder!”

“Hey, wait a second,” Ahiru gently pulled his hand away so he could see her, “It’s okay. We’ll take it slow- one step at a time.”

The frustration in his face faded away, but a look of defeat took its place. “If only I could just remember everything. Then maybe we wouldn’t be in this situation. Maybe you wouldn’t have been cursed.”

Ahiru huffed. “We can’t do much about that now, can we?” He refused to look her in the eyes, afraid to see the possible disappointment on her face. “Look at the town down there! It’s so big! There’s gotta be someone who lives there who can help us!”

He let her take his hand and guide them towards the dirt path that curved down the side of the cliff to the edge of the forest. The Nutcracker made up for Ahiru’s lack of caution and kept her from falling when her eagerness would cause her foot to slip. She’s always try to laugh her embarassment away with a smile, but after the third time, that trick lost it’s effect. He simply shook his head and waited for the next time he would have to spring into action.

The Nutcracker jumped down to the grassy earth first and let Ahiru fall into his arms before setting her down gently.

As they approached the edge of the woods, Ahiru was surprised to see how little sunlight filtered through the treetops, almost as though it was night. The wind rustled through the leaves, scattering a few specks of light against the ground appearing and disappearing again faster than Ahiru could keep up with.

“Does this look familiar at all?” she asked, hopeful. The Nutcracker shook his head and Ahiru sighed. Their chain of good luck had run out. “Well then, we march on!”

She took one step forward before being immediately jerked backward. A surprised yelp escaped her.

“Ahiru, are you sure about this?”

She blinked. “Aren’t we? We’ve got to find someone who can help us, and this trail leads straight to that big city!”

He used all his strength to keep from rolling his eyes. “Yes, I saw the same view as you. What I mean is, are you sure about  _ this _ ?” He waved to the dark expanse that loomed over them. “This path doesn’t look safe.”

The rustling leaves calmed just for a moment for the loud cry of a crow to reverberate through the forest. The Nutcracker took a step back, “Maybe we should find a way around.”He took a  step back from the treeline as Ahiru grabbed his arm.

“Wait! You saw how big this forest is! It’ll take way too long to go around!” She stared into the darkness of the forest with a look of determination. “We have to go through it.”

Amazed by her strong-willed judgment, The Nutcracker was backed against a wall. His shoulders sagged and he moved his other hand to the hilt of his sword sheathed at his hip. “Then I guess there’s no other choise.”

Ahiru smiled and clasped his arm tighter, hoping to share some of her bravery between them. She then led them down the dirt path between the underbrush of the shaded woods. “Onwards, then.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thoughts? Opinions? Concerns?  
> Comment 'em below and let me know! :)


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